EPA honors Sterling Planet in Atlanta, Ga. for Green Power Leadership in the Southeast

ATLANTA – Sterling Planet in Atlanta, Ga. is among 21 Green Power Partners awarded Green Power Leadership Awards by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their achievements in advancing the nation’s renewable electricity market. Sterling Planet received the award in the Green Power Suppliers of the Yearcategory.

Founded in 2000, Sterling Planet was the first company to offer renewable energy certificates (RECs) to retail clients nationwide. The company has since delivered tens of billions of renewable energy kilowatt-hours (kWh) in voluntary and compliance markets, offering comprehensive, carbon mitigation solutions for organizations of all types. As of April 2013, Sterling Planet is the top renewable energy provider to members of the EPA Green Power Partnership in terms of volume of renewable energy kWh provided.

Sterling Planet supports existing renewable power projects through agreements with more than 800 generators and is bringing new generating capacity into service. Sterling Planet is currently developing two biomass projects with a combined generating capacity of 67 megawatts that will supply electricity to Georgia Power Company. The company's 240 kW solar installation is already online, providing green power to the Georgia utility. Sterling Planet also received an EPA Green Power Supplier of the Year Award in 2012.

The 21 award-winning partners were chosen for their exemplary use of green power from more than 1,500 partner organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, small and medium sized businesses, local, state and federal governments, and colleges and universities. Utilities, renewable energy project developers, and other green power suppliers were eligible to apply for the Supplier of the Year Award, which recognizes leadership in voluntary renewable energy offerings.EPA defines green power as electricity that is generated from renewable resources, such as solar, wind, and low-impact hydroelectric sources and produces no fossil fuel-based carbon pollution. The award winning communities and businesses have dramatically increased their green power purchases and installed large-scale solar panel arrays, among other actions.

Close to one-third of America’s carbon pollution – a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change – comes from power plants. By using green power, communities and businesses dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support a growing renewable energy industry, and improve public health.

EPA, through the Green Power Partnership, works with partner organizations to reduce the environmental impacts of conventional electricity use. Nearly two-thirds of partners use 100 percent green power. Together, the partners are using more than 28 billion kWh of green power annually, equivalent to avoiding carbon pollution created by the electricity use of more than three million American homes each year.